Before Round 26 of V.League: The three relegation battlers enter a life-or-death match

The last round of the 2025/26 V.League is set to be highly dramatic, with SHB Da Nang, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, and PVF-CAND fighting for their lives to avoid relegation.

The 2025/26 V.League season will officially conclude after the final round, which takes place simultaneously on June 7. While the championship race has already been decided, fans' attention is now focused on the bottom of the table, where three clubs—SHB Da Nang, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, and PVF-CAND— are all taking part in a desperate battle to remain in Vietnam's top football division.

After 25 rounds, all three teams have 21 points, but their fates are completely different. SHB Da Nang holds the biggest advantage due to their superior head-to-head record against the two direct rivals. If the three sides remain level on points after the final round, the Han River club will stay up, PVF-CAND will go to a play-off, and Becamex Ho Chi Minh City will be relegated. This means any mistake in Round 26 could come at a huge cost.

Among the three teams, SHB Da Nang is considered the most likely to survive. Coach Le Duc Tuan's side will play at home and only face Dong A Thanh Hoa, an opponent that has already secured its survival. A run of four consecutive unbeaten matches has boosted the central Vietnam team's confidence ahead of this season-defining game. If they take all three points, SHB Da Nang will decide its own fate without needing to check other results.

On the flip side, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City is in the most difficult situation. The Thu Duc-based club no longer holds its fate entirely in its own hands: it must not only beat Hoang Anh Gia Lai but also hope that its rivals slip up. A poor run of four straight defeats has piled pressure on coach Hua Hien Vinh's squad heading into what is arguably their most important match of the season.

Meanwhile, PVF-CAND still has plenty of chances to save itself. Although they travel to play SLNA away, the newly promoted side has shown promising form with positive results in recent rounds. A victory would not only help PVF-CAND avoid direct relegation but also give them a shot at a play-off spot or even outright survival if other results go their way.

Alongside the intense relegation fight, Round 26 also features competition at the top of the table. The Cong Viettel, Ninh Binh FC, and Hanoi FC all still have goals to improve their final standings. However, all eyes will remain on the "three-horse race" where, after just 90 minutes, the joy of staying up and the disappointment of going down will be decided.